Education Schools Flunking Math

Elementary School Teachers Poorly Prepared To Teach Math, Study Finds

(AP)  For kids to do better in math, their teachers might have to go back to school.

Elementary-school teachers are poorly prepared by education schools to teach math, finds a study being released Thursday by the National Council on Teacher Quality.

Math relies heavily on cumulative knowledge, making the early years critical.

The study by the nonpartisan research and advocacy group comes a few months after a federal panel reported that U.S. students have widespread difficulty with fractions, a problem that arises in elementary school and prevents kids from mastering more complicated topics like algebra later on.

The report looked at 77 elementary education programs around the country, or roughly 5 percent of the institutions that offer undergraduate elementary teacher certification.

It found the programs, within colleges and universities, spend too little time on elementary math topics.

Author Julie Greenberg said education students should be taking courses that give them a deeper understanding of arithmetic and multiplication. She said the courses should explain how math concepts build upon each other and why certain ideas need to be emphasized in the classroom.

Teacher candidates know their multiplication tables, but "they don't come to us knowing why multiplication works the way it does," said Denise Mewborn, who heads the University of Georgia department of math and science education.

The university was cited in the report for having an "exemplary program," while nine others met basic requirements. The rest offered too little math coursework or coursework that was considered weak, according to the report.

The University of Georgia requires teacher candidates to take courses to help them understand concepts underlying elementary-school math, as well as math courses not designed for teachers.

The report found significant differences in the number and kind of courses required by each education program.

Education schools also are not being selective enough, the report stated. Most require applicants to take an admissions test, usually around their sophomore year of college. But the test, which typically includes reading, writing and math sections, is far too easy, according to the report.

"Almost anyone can get in. Compared to the admissions standards found in other countries, American education schools set exceedingly low expectations for the mathematics knowledge that aspiring teachers must demonstrate," said the report.

U.S. children often fall in the middle or bottom of the pack when compared to other students on international math tests.

Jane West, vice president of government relations for the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, said her organization had not received a copy of the report Wednesday. The National Council on Teacher Quality plans to release it publicly at a news conference Thursday.

The report also criticized the tests education students take when they complete their coursework, which are generally relied on by states in granting teacher licenses. In many cases, the prospective teachers are judged on an overall score only, meaning they could do badly on the math portion but still pass if they do well in the other areas.

Since states oversee the preparation of the nation's school teachers, the report recommends they set tougher coursework and testing standards.

Francis Fennell, the past president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, said the report fails to examine the math instruction students receive while attending community colleges, where many elementary-school teachers start their higher education.

He also said the study's authors should have surveyed teachers to get their views on how well prepared they were to teach math.

Fennell, who instructs teacher candidates in math at McDaniel College in Westminster, Md., said a common area of weakness among his students is fractions - the same subject the national math panel described as a weak area for kids. "Part of the reason the kids don't know it is because the teachers aren't transmitting that," he said.

To boost teachers' understanding of math, the math departments at universities ought to place more emphasis on training educators, Fennell added.

[haoli25]

N.S. Sherlock!

[smurfcrusher]

It just doesn''t add up.

[brianbwb-2009]

In a society where who you know is far more important than what you know, should this be a surprise?

In school systems where more active minds are controlled with Ritalin, should this be a surprise?

When the government guts public education budgets, and creates "vouchers," which is essentially welfare for private schools, and thus encourages the schools to pass everyone regardless of their aptitude, in order to qualify for more "food stamps," should this be a surprise?

When the government feels the need to "dumb down" the populace, in the hope that it''s corruption will not be fathomable, and thus easier to get away with, should this be a surprise?

[harpoot]

The dumbing down of America started under Ronnie Raygun and has picked up pace every year since. How else can the GOP expect to have success and get a certifiable moron like Bush elected. An electorate that can think is dangerous to them. Sheep are easier to herd.

[patriot12436]

I think it all went downhill when they brought in that new math. I still don''t understand it, but i can figure out real math in my head faster than on a calculator.

[patriot12436]

nancy naive
I guess i am old school i still like to use logic.

[hunterdon6]

If a calculator or computer breaks down, kids cannot do math. As a society we are responsible for making the kids dumb. Go to a store and see if they can give you correct change back. Maybe this is the change that Obama is talking about. Teaching the kids to give the correct change back.

[ennius-2009]

There were studies that showed this 25 years ago when I started to teach. People who received degrees in mathematics knew more about math than people who received degrees to teach math. I do not have a degree in "education." I have a degree in the subject I teach. Then I got "certified" to teach. Education Degrees are hokum.

[mcvet]

I know. I know. Let''''s just throw more money at this problem and it''''ll go away. I sure wouldn''''t want anyone thinking I as a bad parent or anything by not making my kid do his homework or not spending quality time with him/her. After all, they''''ve buck-a-beer drafts down at the sports bar tonight. Gotta go, Bye.

Posted by maxify55 at 07:43 AM : Jun 26, 2008
+ report abuse

What is it with you Nazi''s?? You obviously CAN read to some extent unless you have a 6 year old at your side telling you what is being said. So why can''t you read and understand what is reported?? The Report shows that the TEACHERS being hired are NOT qualified to teach the course! Yet this poor Nazi goes off on attacking Parents who he does NOT know and the possibility that we MUST pay people who are qualified. AMAZING!! The Fascist Mind is truly AMAZING! Now stand... let the Fuhrer and the Reich Hear ya today!! SIEG HEIL BUSH!! Dumb as DIRT!!

[mcvet]

We need to figure out what to do about our stupid teachers and stupid students. Sadly, it''''s already too late to help their stupid parents...





Posted by antixlayer at 02:16 AM : Jun 26, 2008

Look School Districts must hire those whom they can afford to hire. With the lower tax base and lower property values they have very little cash to pay and thus they can only hire what is available at the scale they can afford to pay. You want better teachers?? Then you will have to PAY for better teachers. It''s that simple. Sieg Heil Bush

[mcvet]

We need to figure out what to do about our stupid teachers and stupid students. Sadly, it''''s already too late to help their stupid parents...





Posted by antixlayer at 02:16 AM : Jun 26, 2008

Look School Districts must hire those whom they can afford to hire. With the lower tax base and lower property values they have very little cash to pay and thus they can only hire what is available at the scale they can afford to pay. You want better teachers?? Then you will have to PAY for better teachers. It''s that simple. Sieg Heil Bush

[jlagat]

Look School Districts must hire those whom they can afford to hire. With the lower tax base and lower property values they have very little cash to pay and thus they can only hire what is available at the scale they can afford to pay. You want better teachers?? Then you will have to PAY for better teachers. It''''s that simple. Sieg Heil Bush

Posted by MCVet at 07:57 AM : Jun 26, 2008

The funds that could be used to pay for better teachers are being used for the teaching of creationism.
These people don''t need math--it''s the work of the devil used by the lib scientists to push their evolution agenda.

[partsgal1970]

Yes my kids are taught to use this calculator that they can enter the entire problem into and get the answer. Do you really think they know how to get the answer on paper? Heck no! I have 2 very bright children and the 5th grade math program was taught by a teacher that didn''t care and was not able to explain the program to me. They don''t use text books so if you don''t get it in the classroom and you have homework you are screwed. I blame the school systems for changing the way it is taught. Kids need to learn the basics first.

[slim1h2o]

I always thought that the teachers that was "trying to teach" when I went to school, were stupid.
This article clears it right up. They were( well most were)

I only had a handfull of teachers that sounded like they knew what they were talking about. Those are the ones that I paid attention to.

[faith_in_w]

When I went to grade school, they always had a man teaching mathematics. Since the feminists have driven all the men out of teaching, our children are now dummies. Feminists see this as a step forward.

[samthetvcat]

So much is made about how teachers are underpaid, underfunded and overworked, and therefore public schools have problems getting the best and brightest to want to make a career out of it. I wonder if the new ''thing'' ought to be for experts in business to be able to get certified to teach specific courses, especially at the high school level as kind of a supplement. Not necessarily for the extra cash but as a way to give back to the communities. Like how cool would it be to have math or science taught by an astronaut if you live in Houston?

Maybe that''s a way too to get more men into the system - like isn''t the system dominated by female teachers and aren''t boys falling behind and lacking role models? Maybe that''ll help counter that . . .

[sopheapang]

Maybe it is about time for the American students to learn how to use chinese abacus.

[displeased]

They''ve got to know math to teach it.

[faith_in_w]

lib_crusher, the North Koreans accept Jesus now. I bet that makes you sad.

[slim1h2o]

Another success story.

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 08:52 AM : Jun 26, 2008

Sarcasm will get you no where Nancy.

[slim1h2o]

If there is any "lack" of education on my part,it is due to your generations lack of teaching skills.
Maybe you should explain your statement then.

Cheers

[slim1h2o]

hummm you sound pretty defensive

Posted by libsluv2spit at 09:21 AM : Jun 26, 2008

I don''t think her over inflated ego would stand for that.

[faith_in_w]

Have you noticed the advances for minorities always are accompanied by declines in America?

[concorde5]

I knew it was a matter of time before this issue was tied to race.

[slim1h2o]

''We don''t necessarily discriminate. We simply exclude certain types of people.''
-- Colonel Gerald Wellman, ROTC Instrutor .
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

And that''s from our military leaders. Sheeezz

[concorde5]

The problem is teacher pay. We don''t pay enough to get quality teachers. I would love to teach but I couldn''t take that big of a pay cut.

When I was in college the only people who went into education were the ones who flunked out of something else. Those who flunked out of the biology program or computer science or engineering all went into education. In other words those who were too dumb to do something else became teachers. That is a terrible way to get teachers. We push these idiots off on our children then wonder why they can''t learn. We must pay better in order to get better qualified people as teachers.

[slim1h2o]

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 09:56 AM : Jun 26, 2008

I see your ego is starting to run away again, However do you get that fat head thru the front door Nancy?

[slim1h2o]

All men are my teachers that I might learn from them. I have even learned from you. I have learned that you are waste of flesh.

Regards,

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 09:56 AM : Jun 26, 2008

You need to go back and re-learn how to read, your comprehension skills are sorely lacking.

[johnax88]

My wife recently graduated with a k-8 teaching certificate at the age of 62. She has home schooled four children for over 25 years.She believes that most of her education teachers had no idea how to teach their subject to college students and less idea of how to teach it to children.

I spend my time jousting with educators that require students to know more math than they need for the career they want.

Is it surprising that math teachers, who get paid to teach math, say we should know more math?

I ask all of you reading this to be part of a survey. Post on this list the last the you had to multiply a fraction - except in the kitchen.

I am over 65 and have never bumpted into a linear equation or quadratic equation since leaving graduate school. In fact I can not remember when I had to multiply a fraction - oh I do add them but I never seem to have to multiply two fractions to pay my taxes.

Well - being in education I would certainly like to know what people out there really use for math.

For me the problem is not the teachers it is the standards that are meaningless to children.

[starleo146]

Sadly, the expression "forgot more than he/she will ever know" is coming to past in a major way...

The uneducated led by the Alzheimer''''s patients.

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 09:14 AM : Jun 26, 2008
+ re

If you are an example of higher education God help us all

[slim1h2o]

Jamesm;

Usually, an over inflated ego is a sign of idiocy and coupled with a rigidness that can''t comprehend anything but their own agenda. Which in Nancys case right wing views, and screw the next guy.

Apparently she has a mistrust of men too. Probably spurned as a young lady. Now she is a lonely spinster.

[jn122736]

Re. Post by Partsgal1970 at 08:17 AM : Jun 26, 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the ONLY post I have seen so far that touches on the real problem, the use of calculators to do math assignments.

Quote from article: %u201CMath relies heavily on cumulative knowledge, making the early years critical%u201D.

In my time, simple arithmetic was generally taught one step at a time, beginning with addition and subtraction, masking it easier to comprehend the more complicated division and multiplication.

This knowledge is also stored in the student%u2019s brain one step at a time, and prepares him/her to more easily understand the next step in mathematical functions, all the way up the ladder of learning.

With the advent of calculators and use of it by students, cumulative knowledge normally stored in the student%u2019s brain is now stored in their calculators.

This is the fault of BOTH parents and teachers/schools, whether intentional or not.

[thgdriver]

Elementary School Teachers Poorly Prepared To Teach Math, Study Finds

LOL! They certainly are very "prepared" to take my hard earned property tax dollars that I am raped for every year! I am nothing more then an ATM machine for my school district. Most retired folks today are being foreclosed on because of outrageous school taxes.

It all starts in the first grade. The child has to be interested in what they need to learn. The teacher''s hands are tied when it comes to a disciplined class. I am not talking about negative reinforcement, even though some students need it. I am talking about the teacher''s ability to get the attention of the entire class room. Able to command the respect they deserve. But the parents these days are the same children that were taught they had to be respected before they respect another person. Forget about them being children and the teachers being adults. In my day, if you showed any kind of disrupted attitude in class, you were met with a sharp pain in the rear or the back of your hand. That is criminal to a lot of people, but we now know where this as landed us in today''s society. Kids walking around thinking they are numero uno, and they can do and say whatever they want without any repercussions. We need to bring back corporal punishment to the schools. Then I think the kids will sit there and learn and do better in school. I do agree with the money part, but that shouldn%u2019t be the number one reason. I think a full time teacher should have extensive tax breaks, like not paying any federal taxes at all, get low interest loans on houses and cars so they aren%u2019t having spent all their money on house and car payments.

[slim1h2o]

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 10:05 AM : Jun 26, 2008

I''ll tell you mine,,if you tell me yours.

[starleo146]

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 10:05 AM : Jun 26, 2008

C''mon Nancy are you really satisfied with the no child left behind, and our education system as it is. Please expand and let us know why you are so pleased.

I think teachers should get a serious break on gasoline for their vehicles. This I think would bring back the quality teachers we had in the past.

[thgdriver]

Elementary School Teachers Poorly Prepared To Teach Math, Study Finds

LOL! They certainly are very "prepared" to take my hard earned property tax dollars that I am raped for every year! I am nothing more then an ATM machine for my school district. Most retired folks today are being foreclosed on because of outrageous school taxes.

[slim1h2o]

Please expand and let us know why you are so pleased.

Posted by starleo14672 at 10:14 AM : Jun 26, 2008

It makes her feel superior to know that the education system are churning out idiots. A club that clearly, she belongs with.

[starleo146]

Alas StarLeo, I fear that you are.

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 10:11 AM : Jun 26, 2008

Don''t fear me Nancy I won''t hurt you, just answer the question, or didn''t they teach you how to do that in your school. Were you ever in a debate class

[concorde5]

mitchomcbs......I strongly disagree with you. The problem is that we have IDIOTS teaching our children. We MUST get better teachers by paying them more. 30k a year only attracts idiots. We have the dumbest people becoming teachers then we wonder why the children aren''t learning. Yes there are other problems with the school system but dumb teachers is the single biggest problem.

After receiving my Ph.D. in Quantum Mathematics, I knew I wouldn''t be able to live the life style I have become accustomed to, so I started tutoring under privileged children in math. From junior high to high school. Not charging the parents anything because Math is such an important subject, I needed to hone my teaching skills. I have been rewarded so many times from this. Watching the eyes open up with that, "oh yeah, I get it" look. The one on one is okay, but it will never prepare me for the full class room. In my class, students are required to show complete manners, "yes sir, no sir%u201D Call me Dr. Simmons, or Mr. Simmons. None of this, "I will be your friend" kind of thing. That is what''s missing in our schools. Teachers have lost the ability to command respect.

concorde5, that is a closed minded approach. You are missing the big picture. You must be in your late twenties or early thirties to have a statement like that.

[slim1h2o]

I''m still waiting Nancy

Tsk Tsk Tsk

slim1h2o, if you knew what a true debate was, you wouldn''t be acting like you are. To have a true debate, you need an arbitrator...in this form you don''t. It is just an argument and nothing else. You think you are always right, and then there is everyone else.....GROW UP and learn something other than what you can Google.

[starleo146]

After receiving my Ph.D. in Quantum Mathematics, I knew I wouldn''''t be able to live the life style I have become accustomed to, so I started tutoring under privileged children in math. From junior high to high school. Not charging the parents anything because Math is such an important subject, I needed to hone my teaching skills. I have been rewarded so many times from this. Watching the eyes open up with that, "oh yeah, I get it" look. The one on one is okay, but it will never prepare me for the full class room. In my class, students are required to show complete manners, "yes sir, no sir%u201D Call me Dr. Simmons, or Mr. Simmons. None of this, "I will be your friend" kind of thing. That is what''''s missing in our schools. Teachers have lost the ability to command respect.

Posted by mitchoncbs at 10:21 AM : Jun 26, 2008

There you go, congratulations sir, this is so right what this gentleman said. I wish our system would pay more attention to learning, and if they would just teach they would learn. In my day the teachers were teaching because they loved it, all this garbage thrown in by no child left behind and everything else they forget what they are there for.

[slim1h2o]

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 10:29 AM : Jun 26, 2008

They were stupid Nancy,,,Not sure who Johnax is,,but I didn''t say that no one needed math, in fact,,I didn''t say a word on the subject.

Just said that most of my teachers were stupid, and they were!

Just like you,,,,,Cheers

[drivelphobe]

mitchoncbs....

You have hit the nail on the head. Orderly, respectful classrooms are critical to the educational process, be it math or anything else. When teachers stared showing up for work in casual clothing and trying to be buddies with the student body, it was the end of an era of learning and what we see is what we deserve for allowing this.

The bright, motivated kids will always do well but the others have been dealt a blow of giant proportion and are being short changed. Their lives will less for it.

[concorde5]

mitchoncbs.....I am in my thirties and I have a college degree in Biology and Computer Science. I have tutored for many years starting in high school. I would LOVE to teach and I have a sincere passion for teaching and seeing children''s eyes light up when they finally understand a concept that they thought they would never learn. I don''t teach because of PAY. I have to pay my mortgage, I have to have a certain standard of living. Teaching does not provide the level of income I would need to teach.

The only people that went into education at the university I attended were those who flunked out of something else. Those who were too dumb to get a degree in biology or computer science or engineering went into education. That is the Problem.

[slim1h2o]

mitchoncbs at 10:32 AM : Jun 26, 2008

And you have me pegged wrong. You need to go back and read the posts to me, from Nancy. I am just fighting for my honor, against some over inflated ego. Thats all I''m doing.
And I would never assume that all I say is right,,and everyone else is wrong. I know better, and now so do you.